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Amidst Controversy, AGF Backs IGP Egbetokun’s 4-year Tenure

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Kayode Egbetokun - Inspector General of Police - IGP

Lateef Fagbemi, Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, AGF, has affirmed the four year tenure of Kayode Egbetokun as the Inspector General of Police, IGP.

Contrary to suggestions that Egbetokun should have retired from the Force after clocking 60 years, the AGF said  the law is on the IGP’s side, citing the recently amended Police Act.

Fagbemi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, said in a statement on Friday that Egbetokun will enjoy a four year term based on the amended Police Act.

Even though the IGP clocked 60 years last September, he’s now expected to remain in office until October 2027.

Fagbemi said, “For the avoidance of doubt, Egbetokun’s continuous stay in office is in line with the provisions of the Police Act amended in 2024, which allow the occupant of the office to enjoy a term of four years effective from the date of his appointment as IGP, in this case, the 31st day of October 2023.

“This advisory is necessary for the guidance of the general public.”

Last year, the National Assembly came under severe criticism after amending the relevant Act to extend the tenure of Egbetokun who was appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2023.

Checks revealed that Egbetokun should have retired in September last year after he clocked the mandatory 60 years in service as a police officer.

The amendment of the Act which drew the anger of not a few Nigerians and police officers was believed to have been politically motivated.

Apart from the suggestions that the Egbetokun’s tenure was extended to further the interest of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, the IGP is very close to President Tinubu having served as his Chief Security Officer, CSO, while the former was governor of Lagos state between 1999 and 2007.

Critics of the Tinubu administration insist that the extension will not only cause serious disquiet in the Nigerian Police Force, they added that such action will affect professionalism among the rank and file of the Force, particularly among its top echelon, from Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, and Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG who are aspiring to become IGP.

Lateef Fagbemi - AGF
AGF Fagbemi

“The morale of the current AIGs and DIGs will be very low because they have realized that their aspirations to get to the top of their career as IGP has been stunted by the unnecessary extension of Egebtokun’s tenure,” a security expert who spoke under anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue told the magazine on Friday.

“When the government is making such sensitive decision they must not forget that the dream of an officer is to get to the top of his career. Politicizing appointments in the police force, where professionalism is highly required is a serious disservice to the country,” a top police officer said.

The former Police Act, Section 18(8) provides thus: “Every police officer shall, on recruitment or appointment, serve in the Nigeria Police Force for a period of 35 years or until he attains the age of 60 years, whichever is earlier”.

The amended Act provides that “Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (8) of this section, any person appointed to the office of Inspector-General of Police shall remain in office until the end of the term stipulated in the letter of appointment in line with the provisions of Section 7(6) of this Act.”

The amended Act in Part 111 Section 7 (6) further provides for a for year tenure for any IGP appointed by the president.

Essentially, Egbetokun, based on the amended Act is expected to remain in office until 2027 having been appointed in 2023 by President Tinubu.

Shock As FG offers University Scholarship To Convicted Kidnap Kingpin, Evans

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike - Evans

By Adesina Soyooye

Evans tells Court that thanks to FG and RCCG, he has denounced his criminal activities, become a changed man, and is seeking a plea-bargain!

Shock greeted the revelation at a Lagos High Court on Thursday when it was disclosed that convicted kidnap kingpin,  Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike, popular as Evans, is now a student of the National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN. Evans, under prosecution by the Federal Government for series of alleged kidnappings and murders,  is not only a 200- level student of NOUN, but is attending it free of charge, courtesy of the scholarship granted him by the Federal Government.

On appearance on Thursday, Evans  told a Lagos State High Court,  Ikeja, that he has become a good citizen, and has denounced all his sins, and  repented of all his criminal activities.

Based on this  self-acclaimed repentance, he has applied to the Lagos State Government to forgive him of all his crimes and grant him mercy.

His Lawyer, Emefo Etudo, who addressed the Honourable Court on his behalf, stated this after Evans took  his plea on the  five amended counts which  border on murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping, all  preferred against him by the Lagos State Government.

Addressing the Court, prosecuting Lawyer, Sule Yusuf, said that the matter was starting de novo and urged the court to re-arraign the defendants. There was no objection to that from Etudo, who represented Evand and his co-defendant, C.N Udeh.

According to the prosecution, on or about 10.pm,  August 27, 2013, along 3rd Avenue, FESTAC Town, in Lagos, Evans and Joseph Emeka, allegedly, killed one Peter Nweke. Both men also allegedly killing one Chijioke Ngozi on the same day.

Expectedly, Evans and Emeka pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.

It was at this juncture, based on their not-guilty plea, that the Prosecution Counsel, Sule, asked the Court to further remand the defendants. He, however, disclosed to the Court that Evans, who is the first defendant has applied for plea bargaining through his Lawyer,  Etudo, while Emeka,  the second defendant also applied for same plea bargain  through his own Counsel.

Addressing the trial Judge, Justice Adenike Coker, Etudo disclosed that despite the amended charge and the not-guilty  plea by Evans,  he has applied to the Lagos State Government through the Attorney-General’s office for a plea bargain.

His words: “Our focus in this matter is the plea bargain which we have submitted to the State Government.

“My client is now a repentant person. He was a young man consumed by crime, but he is now remorseful. Presently, he is a 200-level student of the National Open University.

“In fact, he made A1 in all his papers in NECO while in prison. All this was made possible through a scholarship given to him by the Federal Government.

“My Lord, we have asked the Lagos State Government to give him the opportunity to go around schools in the state to talk to youths about the dangers of crime.”

Sule said he was aware of Evans’ application for a plea bargain, and added that the appropriate committee will consider it.

Sule: “My Lord, I can confirm that the first defendant ( Evans), has indeed applied for a plea bargain, and it was served on us. We shall be examining it. The second defendant has also made a similar application.”

Justice Coker adjourned the matter to March 20, 2025, for trial.

Etudo, who then addressed Journalists after Court proceedings said that thanks to the effort of the Redeemed Christian Church of God and the Federal Government, his client has become an unbelievably changed person.

Etudo: “My client is now a changed man. He has been transformed. His reformation was made possible by the RCCG and the Federal Government, which gave him a scholarship to study and become a better person.”

Recall that Evans has, since when he was arrested by scores of Police Operatives at his Magodo Phase 2 residence, for sundry allegations including kidnapping, murder, attempted murder, has been under detention and prosecution. He has already been convicted on, at least, one of the offences, and is facing a couple more along with his co-defendant.

At the zenith of his notorious outings, his victims allegedly paid him in US Dollars upto the tune of One million. One of his most alleged daring outings was in FESTAC Lagos where he attempted to abduct Chief Vincent Obianodo, the owner of Young Shall Grow Motors. The Chief got away with near-fatal gunshot injuries.

Tinubu’s Aide Begs El Rufai To ‘Come Home’ To APC

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Mallam Nair El-Rufai
Nasir El-Rufai

Presidential media aide, Daniel Bwala has appealed to former Governor Nasir Ahmad El- Rufai to shelve his grievances and return to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

Bwala, the Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu made the appeal on Friday barely few hours after the former governor slammed him for defending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and APC, because he wants to keep his job in the Presidency.

Recall that El rufai had few days ago, at a political events in Abuja, the nation’s capital criticised the APC for lacking in internal democracy and for running a one man show.

He urged opposition party to unite ahead the 2027 general election to dislodged the ruling party, adding that “I no longer recognise’ the APC.

The former governor is a member of the APC, but has recently distanced himself from the party following his failure to scale the Nigerian Senate confirmation hurdles as a minister after he was nominated by the president.

Responding, Bwala had descended on the former governor describing him as a loser, saying he has lost out I the APC that’s why he’s bent on bringing the party down.

Bwala in his latest post on X however begged El rufai to return to the APC, saying opposition party are watching on whether they can poach him to their side, a development that will not augur well for the ruling party.

He also accused El rufai of being unpatriotic in his remark against the party and President Tinubu, adding that his criticism is smirk of vengeance against the party the ‘melodramatic activities.”

Daniel Bwala
Bwala, Tinubu’s Media Aide

He added, “The opposition see that singular element of vengeance as a veritable tool for your recruitment,” into their party, appealing to the former governor to “come home; you have toiled all nights.”

Below, Bwala’s remark on X

Still my senior brother @elrufai , I am sure you don’t need anyone to tell you about my respect and admiration for you, not just for your brilliance , but also as one of the brightest we have from the northern extraction. I am not stating it for the first time today and you know that.

My worry however is the motive behind your statements and actions; they are not borne out of patriotism, but need for vengeance. The opposition see that singular element of vengeance as a veritable tool for your recruitment .

With respect, I am not a latter day Asiwaju supporter. We both played our  roles in his emergence as candidate of the party ahead of 2023 elections. And before then, whilst you were from the CPC extraction of APC, I was from the ACN, which explains why I worked with Comrade Oshiomhole when he chaired the party amongst other things to protect the interest of Asiwaju whom at the time you people vowed to retire from politics.

I still think you don’t need all these melodramatic activities or a vengeance mission. Come back and resolve whatever you think is your grievances like a dignified man that you are.

Our party APC as of today remains the only organized party with identifiable structures across the country. So if you are looking for any symbol of democracy, it is still in your party.

Please senior, come home; you have toiled all nights.

The presidential aide appeal to El rufai comes a few days after Joe Igbokwe, an APC Chieftain and close ally of President Tinubu said the party must do all that is required to bring the former governor back to its fold.

El rufai has yet to leave the party, but his recent fraternity with the opposition has led to the suggestions that his days are numbered in the APC.

Senate Leadership Calls For More Police Recruitment, Promises Support

By
The Source
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Hashimu Argungu and Godswill Akpabio

The Leadership of the Police Service Commission has paid a courtesy visit on the Senate President,  Senator Godswill Akpabio.

The Senate President used the occasion of the visit to call for more recruitment exercises in the face of the security challenges in the country.

Chairman of the Commission,  DIG Hashimu Argungu rtd mni, who led the delegation had informed the Senate President of pressing challenges undermining its performance which included poor funding and the need for independent budgetary allocation to the Commission.

DIG Argungu also made a case for the establishment of functional Zonal offices  due to the geographical challenges  of operating from a single  location while oversighting  Police Officers in the 747 local government areas and police stations across the country.

The PSC Chairman expressed the gratitude  of the Commission to the Senate President for the close working relationship between the Commission and the National Assembly  which he said has significantly  enhanced the work of the Commission.

Akpabio in his response said the need for more Police Recruitment was overdue but noted that there must be proper and effective screening of candidates to ensure that the best candidates are selected especially with the state of under policing in the country.

He assured the Commission that he would take up its problems with Mr. President  and

work towards  finding a resolution.

The Senate President commended the Commission leadership and urged them to continue to fulfil  its mandate and persist in its endeavour  to ensure a smooth and effective running of the organisation.

Present at the meeting were, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin; Senator osita Ngwu representing Enugu West and Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi while Justice Adamu Paul Galumje, retired Justice of the Supreme Court and Commissioner representing the Judiciary in the Commission and Chief Onyemuche Nnamani,  Secretary to the Commission accompanied the Hon Chairman of the Commission.

Professor Chima, Chairman Abia Independent Electoral Commission, Abducted

By
The Source
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Professor George Chima

By Charles Igbo

Gunmen have abducted Professor George Chima from his residence.

Chima, a University Teacher, is the Chairman of Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC). Abduction of innocent citizens has become the way of life in the South-eastern Zone of Nigeria. Not a day goes by without abduction incidents in the zone.

Eye witness accounts say Professor Chima was hosting some  of his colleagues at his Okigwe residence, when the gunmen, numbering four struck.

On arrival, they put fears in his visitors, harassed them and forcefully took the helpless academic away.

It is not confirmed yet how the suspected kidnappers arrived, but their attempts to take the Professor away in his car, which, at the time, was being washed by his driver failed. To get away, therefore, they snatched a passing vehicle used for wood carrying to take him away.

At the time of filing this story, his abductors have made no contacts with the family. And neither the State Government nor the Abia State Police Command has issued any statement.

Pan Yoruba Group Accuses Sultan, NSCIA Of Promoting Fulani Agenda As Against Islam

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Abubakar Sa’ad III - Sultan of Sokoto
Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III: Sultan of Sokoto

By Akinwale Kasali

Pan Yoruba Group, Alliance for Yoruba Democratic Movements, AYDM, has alleged that the revered Monarch, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, are promoting the parochial Fulani ethnic agenda, hiding under the guise of promoting Islam.

AYDM in a statement signed by its General Secretary, Popoola Ajayi, Organising Secretary, Chief Kunle Oshodi and the Director of Mobilisation, Olu Sulaiman Sanusi, condemned the recent statement by the Sultan that Sharia should be introduced in the South West.

The Group stressed that the Sultanate is not in the best position to determine what is good for the Yoruba people and that he cannot impose his own world view or that of his people on Yoruba people.

AYDM is a coalition of 130 groups in the South West said for over 200 years, the Sultan has defended only the interests of his ethnic group and that the NSCIA is a dubious, decoy cover to realise the real agenda of ethnic subjugation in Nigeria.

The Group is responding to the recent statement credited to the Sultan justifying the introduction of Sharia in the some Southern States

The AYDM said available data indicate that the divorce rate in Sokoto is the highest after Kano, and it has however

created social strain leading to very large number of abandoned children, orphans and street children in Sokoto.

It added that members of its coalition are Muslims, Christians and Traditional worshipers saying it was time for Muslims in Nigeria to have an organisation that truly represents their interests.

“We are alarmed that the Sultan of Sokoto is promoting the introduction of Sharia in the old Western Region of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo, Edo, Delta plus Kogi and Kwara States. We urge Nigerians to be conscious of what is going on in Sokoto State where armed gangs have taken over many communities promoting violence, killings and extremism.

“The Sultan that presides over the dirtiest and poorest state in Nigeria, the most violent and terrorist ridden state cannot teach Yoruba people anything about marriage, community unity and peace building,” the coalition said.

AYDM added that Sokoto State remains the poorest state in Nigeria, with human misery and constant blood letting as its trademark, stressing that the 2023 survey conducted by the Sokoto state government estimated that there are over 776,000 out-of-school children across the 23 local governments of the state.

It said, Sokoto, 67.8 percent of children are out of School while extreme poverty of about 80% of the population are in turmoil.

“Sokoto State today is the hope of high rate of crime,violence, violent divorce, and terrorism. We wonder why the Sultan has not resolved disputes in Sokoto using the Sharia”.

It further said that the root cause of the current violence in Sokoto is the brand of faith that the Sultan wants to transfer to Yoruba territories.

The group said the desperation to focus on the old Western Region is political.

AYDM said Islam first came to Yorubaland in 1300s, some 500 years before the Sultanate while Islam came to Hausaland 600 years before the Sultanate was established adding that it was completely wrong to even have the Sultan as the head of Nigerian Muslims.

The movement said the Sultan as the head of Muslims in Nigeria was an imposition by the Nigerian military ruled by the Fulani and that it was time that leadership is challenged and changed by the people

“The Sultan and his agents want to replicate what is happening in Sokoto in Nigeria. They are not happy with the transfer of power from the Fulani hegemony. It’s all about 2027 and the strategy is to polarise and cause confusion across the country.

“The Sultan cannot teach Islam to Yoruba people. For over 600 years, millions of Yoruba people had embraced Islam before the Fulani came to Sokoto. The Sultan only came through violence in 1804 with the brutal desire to take over the country called Nigeria by force of arms of arms.

“We urge the Sultan to temper his desperation to spread his own brand of Islam to Yorubalad by force. We urge him to concentrate on taming the spread of violence and spineless killings between Hausa and Fulani in Sokoto State and across his Caliphate states. He should also stop the violence between Muslims, Christians and Traditional worshipers in his domain.

“Yoruba Muslims are peace lovers. All the adherents of the different religious in Yorubaland cannot be governed by different laws in the same country.”

It said Yoruba people for more than 1000 years, even before Christianity and Islam have been resolving disputes without Sharia. The Sultan cannot love Yoruba people including Muslims more than Yoruba people themselves.

“We as Muslims, Traditional worshipers and Christians in Yorubaland will never allow conscious attempts to destabilise Yorubaland. We are watching with keen interests and we are already mobilising our people to confront enemies of Yoruba people hiding under religion to cause mayhem and instability in our fatherland. We shall not allow it. We warn them to desist from their plots

“Sokoto said the Yoruba do not need the Sultan to access God who is ominipresent neither does the Yoruba need to learn anything for politica,givernance and economy of Sokoto State.

“The agenda of the Sultan and his paid agents will be resisted in Yorubaland. There will be no room for the continuation of the 1804 Jihad under any guise”, AYDM stated.

OPINION: The EFCC And Institutional Transformation

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Ozegbe Ogokuni

By Ozegbe Ogokuni

Change, whether of positive or negative outcome is a constant phenomenon in life, and doesn’t happen without its attendant consequences. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is currently feeling the effects of two agonizing incidents: one on the 17 January, 2025 in Awka, the Anambra State capital, where its gallant officer, Aminu Sahabi Salisu was heartlessly gunned down by a suspected criminal who was visited by a team of EFCC Operatives; the second being the discovery on Monday, 27 January, 2025 of the lifeless body of gallant Officer, Remedy Yange lying on a Lagos street, and whose death is being investigated.
These shocking deaths may only be indicative of the sacrifices that the Commission has to pay for its unprecedented achievements in tackling graft headlong. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004 empowers the Commission to prevent, investigate, prosecute and penalize the commission of all economic and financial crimes in the Country.

Preventive crime bursting has seen the EFCC act on intelligence to thwart economic and financial crimes. A recent case is the arrest of a criminal syndicate that specializes in dispossessing Abuja property owners of their land through falsification of title documents. Four of such title documents on lands with a cumulative value of one billion Naira were returned to their owners on Tuesday, 28 January, 2025 by the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede.

It is also on record that the Commission thwarted the activities of some vote buyers in recently conducted off-cycle elections in the country. Intelligence gathering, being a potent tool in modern crime fighting, has been extensively deployed by Olukoyede’s EFCC to burst many money laundering and internet fraud schemes. That was the case late last year when 792 suspects were arrested, which included 148 Chinese, 40 Filipinos, 2 Kharzartans, 1 Pakistani, and 1 Indonesian in a seven- storey edifice known as ‘Big Leaf Building’ on No 7 Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. It has become common knowledge that foreigners are using Nigerians and the Country as a base to scam the global community. According to Olukoyede, “Foreigners are taking advantage of our nation’s unfortunate reputation as a haven of frauds to establish a foothold here to disguise their atrocious criminal enterprises. But, as this operation has shown, there will be no hiding places for criminals in Nigeria.” This crime preventive operations, including the public sensitisation through the EFCC Radio, 97.3 FM have undoubtedly rekindled institutional consciousness about integrity as many officials and businesses are now circumspect and sensitive in their actions.

The investigative operations of the EFCC have remarkably improved. Several thousands of investigative cases have resulted in prosecutions, convictions and recovery of assets and other proceeds of crime. Records in the public space clearly indicate that the EFCC Olukoyede has prosecuted over 6245 cases and secured more than 3455 convictions. This feat may be attributed to many factors, particularly the legal and operational reforms and the restructuring of Zonal offices. Among the politically exposed persons at the receiving end of EFCC investigations and prosecutions are: former Govs Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, Willie Obiano of Anambra State, Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State, Gabriel Suswan of Benue State, among others. We can’t be in haste to slide the case of Godwin Emefiele, the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from Delta State, and the former Minister, Charles Chukwuemeka Ugwuh of Imo State.

The internal cleansing of the Commission that led to the dismissal of 27 staff members for gross misconduct, and the arrest and detention of another 10 EFCC Staff members suspected of stealing, have had a deterrent effect of dissuading other staff from toeing a similar path. This exercise indicate that the EFCC is determined to remain above board in matters of integrity.

It will be interesting to understand how the operational successes of the EFCC have impacted governance and businesses as well as private individuals. For the political class, the refrain is that the fear of the EFCC is the beginning of political wisdom because no matter how far a suspect runs, the mantra of the Commission is that they will get you any time anywhere. Yahaya Bello can testify to this! Evidently, it is no longer business as usual for the political class as a new culture of transparency is unfolding. This has seemingly renewed corporate and institutional integrity as we have seen with the Aviation sector, and the Nigerian Immigration Service in the issuance of passports, and so is the case with some other public Establishments.
Accountability by public officials would soon become the norm given the example demonstrated by the EFCC with its action against its own personnel. It is therefore apt to say that the EFCC under Olukoyede is having a transformational impact in terms of institutional transparency and accountability in Nigeria.
However, it must be pointed out that the EFCC needs to do more to ensure that its Operatives wear body protection accoutrements and deploy state-of-the-art technological equipment in their operations. This will help to avert unnecessary loss of lives.
In the same vein, the Government is fervently urged to channel more funding to the EFCC for acquisition of technological equipment, manpower training and specialized recruitments to enable the Commission to sustain and upgrade its operations for the dynamic fight against economic and financial crimes that is constantly evolving in sophistication. 

Ogokuni,  a crime and political Commentator writes in from  Delta State

Obasa’s Removal: Group Demands Release of Lagos Lawmakers Detained by DSS

By
The Source
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Mudashiru Obasa and Mojisola Meranda

A socio-political group, United Action for Democracy, has called for the immediate release of several lawmakers detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) in Lagos following the removal of former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the group demanded the release of Hon. Abiodun Tobun (Epe 1), Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu (Eti-Osa 2), Hon. Femi Saheed (Kosofe 2), Hon. Kehinde Joseph, and others, insisting that their detention was unwarranted.

The development follows a press conference by Obasa, in which he argued that his removal was unconstitutional.

Meanwhile, on Monday, the lawmakers reaffirmed Rt. Hon. Mojisola Meranda as the Speaker of the Assembly.

The group urged relevant authorities to act swiftly and ensure the detained lawmakers regain their freedom without further delay.

INEC Bows To Pressure, Tenders BVAS Machines Used For Edo Gubernatorial Election

By
Suleiman Anyalewechi
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INEC Tenders BVAS Used in Edo Election

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Peoples Democratic Party PDP ,on Thursday  January 30, 2025, made remarkable headway in its bid to upturn the out come of the September 21,2024, off-circle gubernatorial polls in Edo State with the Election Petition Tribunal now sitting in Abuja, formally admitting in evidence the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS used for the polls.

The PDP is presently challenging the outcome of the polls which threw up Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressive Congress, APC, as the winner.

The Independent  National Electoral Commission INEC, had initially opposed the request by the PDP for the submission of the machines used in accrediting voters during the election but had to succumb in the face of a subpoena.

The Source reports that,the PDP had anchored its petition against the results of the election on alleged  over-voting and bogus allocation of figures far more than the number of  accredited voters.

The BVAS which were officially presented by the Electoral umpire during the Tribunal session on Thursday, is expected to provide a clear insight into the actual number of voters accredited for the election.

It is also widely seen as having the huge potentials of establishing discrepancies between the number of accredited voters and the figure announced during the election .

For one ,the PDP has  continued to insist that ,the final figures of the election were manipulated in favour of its rival ,the APC.

The party has equally been adamant in its stance that the number of votes announced were far in excess of the number of both registered and accredited voters in most places.

Most of the PDP witnesses have testified to the huge discrepancies between the number of votes announced and strength of voters accredited using the BVAS

Not a few observers are of the belief that the decision of the Tribunal to admit the BVAS machines in evidence represents a turning point in the entire battle over the outcome of the election by the two contending parties.

Notwithstanding the figures announced by INEC, the BVAS machines will come handy in providing the number of accredited voters at every polling unit .

Already, the PDP, even before the admission of the BVAS machines had to some extent been able to establish glaring discrepancies between the number of votes declared and the ones officially accredited in some areas, including Oredo and Akoko Edo Councils.

BREAKING: Lagos Speakership Crisis:  Lawmakers Detained By DSS

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Arrested Lagos Lawmakers

By Akinwale Kasali

The Speakership crisis rocking the Lagos State House of Assembly is yet to abate.

Two Lawmakers of the Assembly, Hon. Lanre Afinni and Hon. Sylvester Ogunkelu are currently being detained by the Lagos State Command of the Department of State Services, DSS.

The Two Lawmakers are fingered as the arrow head in the crisis bedeviling the Rt. Hon. Mojisola Meranda- led Assembly.  Sources said they were the architects of the removal of Obasa as Speaker.

It was gathered that the two are, allegedly, facing interrogation in connection with the removal of Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker.

It would be recalled that Obasa was removed as Speaker by the majority of the members on January 13 and replaced with the former Deputy Speaker, Meranda.

The two lawmakers were allegedly detained for breaking into a store in the Assembly where the mace was kept so that the lawmakers could sit to effect the impeachment of the embattled former speaker of the House.

In solidarity with their colleagues, the Deputy Speaker, Hon Mojeed Fatai with some other members of the House were said to have stormed the DSS office to secure their release.

As at the time of filing  this report, the two Lawmakers were yet to be released by the DSS.

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